


Forever By Your Side

by habibinasir (lulu_kitty)



Series: vampire au [1]
Category: Spartacus Series (TV), Spartacus: War of the Damned
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood, Depression, M/M, Rough Sex, Suicide Attempt, Vampire Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-17
Updated: 2015-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-23 08:03:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3760816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lulu_kitty/pseuds/habibinasir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Non-linear. Canon/Modern Vampire AU. Post-Victory. Interweaving between past and present, Agron and Nasir's love is put to ultimate test, through space and time, when faced with immortality.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever By Your Side

**Author's Note:**

> For @crixuscrying who requested a nagron Only Lovers Left Alive fic AGES ago and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since so I sucked it up and wrote it myself. This is only very slightly inspired by the movie in theme but otherwise the story kind of had a mind of its own...
> 
> For clarity: the story weaves back and forth between the canon timeline and a modern setting. 
> 
> Thank you so much to @venomed_veins for betaing and helping talk me through this fic. Couldn't have done it without you <3!

*

As Nasir stared out into the misty darkness of the mountain path, a feeling of dread seemed to creep over him. It was an odd feeling, as if there were shadows moving in the dark, just beyond his line of sight. His heart began to pound, the hairs on his arms standing on edge as he felt a presence in the the dark haze surrounding them. 

“We are being watched,” he whispered to Lydon, who was on watch by his side. 

Lydon looked frantically around for a moment before frowning, “Impossible. All Romans have set purpose on returning to Rome. We have scouted all paths, numerous times.”

It had been five days since fall of Spartacus and start of journey through mountain pass of the Alps. Nasir had witnessed the sight of Romans retreat with his own eyes yet could not ignore the ever present feeling of eyes on him. 

“Set Pollux and Adal to task again,” he urged. “I have unshakeable feeling.” 

Lydon stared at him for a moment before sighing, “I will go again, but you need rest, Nasir. You have barely taken sleep and it is taking toll.” He gripped his comrade’s shoulder leaving no place for argument. 

Nasir nodded stiffly, still unsettled but he knew Lydon spoke truth. They had checked repeatedly at Nasir’s urging for past three nights, but there has never been any signs of other life on mountain pass besides a few wild goats. 

He pulled his cloak closer to him, fighting bitter winds as he made his way back through camp. Storms seemed to follow them as they made their way through the Alps. That brief moment of sunshine as they started journey was short lived. It seemed to reflect the shift in the God's favor Nasir thought bitterly, heart stinging at the thought. 

He avoided the pitying eyes of all he passed as he made his way back to his tent. Lydon’s intentions were well meaning but Nasir knew rest was futile, how could he sleep when he knew what sight awaits him back in tent? 

As he approached the entrance to his tent, Nasir took a deep breath, trying to calm self. He knew Laeta would have sent for him had there been any change. 

Upon entering, he was immediately assaulted by the strong smell of herbs. Sibyl and Belesa sat on the floor of tent grinding them up into a paste, while Laeta and Medicus watched over bedside. He knew it was coming, but sight of Agron lying pale and shaking on bed was like a knife to his heart. 

Seeing Agron was awake, he immediately rushed to his side, reaching to stroke his beloved’s face. Agron was burning up in a fever, entire body drenched in sweat. 

Agron’s face turned toward him at the feeling of his hand. He muttered incoherently in German, staring uncomprehendingly at Nasir before he asked, “Duro?” 

He looked beseechingly up at Nasir for a moment, his green eyes red and inflamed. Nasir shook his head, biting his lip, not knowing what else to do or say. He ran gentle fingers over Agron’s flushed cheek, the flesh feeling hot underneath his fingertips. 

“Where did he go?” Agron muttered, his glazed eyes darting about, before falling back into unconsciousness. Nasir bit back tears as he took up cloth and gently began patting Agron’s face dry. 

“There has been no change?” he forced out, his voice feeling raw against his throat.

“No,” Laeta whispered, looking solemn. “Nasir, we have been discussing it and we must revisit notion of removing his hands. We cannot wait any longer.”

Nasir choked back a sob and pulled back the blankets to reveal the sight of Agron’s hands, nearly black. He could see the infection in Agron’s hands was beginning to travel up the veins of his arms. He had hoped, impossibly, that the Gods would grant his prayers once again, and that when he returned to tent he would find Agron overcoming infection. The overwhelming reality of the situation seems to steal all the air out from his lungs. 

“He would never forgive me,” Nasir whispered, bowing low to avoid their frustrated stares and press gentle kiss to Agron’s forehead.

“It is the only chance he has at survival,” Medicus said, voice firm. “It is better to remove them now before it spreads any more and we have to remove arms as well. We cannot lose him now. He is the only one among us who remembers the lands beyond Roman rule.” 

It took all of Nasir’s patience to hold back rude response. _That is all they care about_ , he thought bitterly, _not the fact that Agron lies near death_. Nasir took in a deep, shaking breath attempting to compose himself.

“I would have moment alone with him before making such decision,” he barked dismissively, glaring at them as they both opened mouth to protest. Laeta relented after a moment, pausing to sympathetically grip his shoulder before leading Medicus out of tent. Sibyl and Belesa nodded encouragingly at him as they place their bowls of healing ointment by Agron’s bedside and saw themselves out as well. 

Nasir stared for a moment as the tent falls shut before turning back to Agron, face falling and tears flowing down his cheeks.

“Agron, please,” he pleaded, gently gripping his love’s ruined hands in his, pressing light kiss to them both. 

Nasir knew that cutting off Agron’s hands would only prolong his suffering, but the slight chance that it may save him was enough for Nasir to consider it. 

It felt as if someone had reached inside Nasir’s chest and was twisting his heart in their fist. He watched as one tear fell from his chin onto Agron’s blackened hand. He had thought nothing could possibly feel worse than when he was given false news of Agron’s death, far from his side. But this, Nasir thought, watching his love suffer so painfully while he stood helpless, this was far worse.

“Please, forgive me, I cannot lose you like this.”

*

Agron stares down at his hands. They are large but elegant hands, pale, and flawless, besides the deep groove of scar tissue at the center of each palm. 

He takes a deep breath as he reaches down to grab the pistol lying down on the floor next to the bathtub. He holds it to his left palm, lining up the barrel to his scar. 

“Pow,” he whispers as he pretends to shoot. 

Agron had briefly considered buying three wooden bullets, _for the aesthetic_ , he reasoned before, _fucking hell I sound like Nasir_. So, ever the pragmatist, he settled on just the one. One wooden bullet straight to the heart. 

If his heart could pound, he thinks, it would be doing so now. He places the gun down back down on the cold tile floor and peels his henley off over his head, attempting to fold it with difficulty with his shaking hands before giving up and tossing it aside. Agron picks the gun up again with a trembling hand and lines it up to where was once his beating heart, it takes him a moment to steady his grip. 

His finger moves to remove the safety when a light _Bing! Bing!_ echoes through the otherwise dead silence of the house. 

“Shit!” Agron starts so violently that, had he removed the safety, the gun most definitely would have gone off. 

“Shit,” he mutters softly as he slides deeper into the empty bathtub and he drops the gun to the floor with a clatter that echoes through the room. 

He takes a moment to breath in and out, attempting to calm his nerves before climbing out of the tub. He makes his way unsteadily across the hall into his study, following the direction of the sound. He weaves around his enormous stacks of books that litter the room. On one dusty stack in the far left of the room sits his cell phone. He has no memory of leaving it there. He picks it up, wincing against the harsh synthetic light on his inflamed eyes. 

_Hayati, hope you see this soon. Just wanted to see how you are, I know you’re busy but you haven’t been answering any of my emails for a while… Can we please have a Skype date soon? It’s been forever and I miss and love you so much <3_

Agron stares down it for a moment before the guilt that wracks through him is so overwhelming that he doubles over with a cry. The realization of what he was about to do crashing over him like an angry wave. He falls back against the wall; duly feeling it crack under his weight as he slides down to the floor. He grips his phone staring at it as he curls one hand into a fist in front of his mouth in order to hold back his sobs. He knows Nasir must have stayed up to make sure Agron got his text when he was awake. Feeling tears stream down his face, he types back with a shaking hand. 

_Of course. Whenever you can. I love you too._

*

“He will not survive this and you know it,” an unfamiliar voice sounded out abruptly from within tent. Nasir started violently, moving in one motion to pull dagger from his belt and stand protectively in front of Agron’s bedside, letting out a loud a hiss as he stood tense against the intruder. 

The man was tall with ragged hooded cloak pulled over head. From what Nasir could see of his face, his pale skin making his eyes stand out, dark as night. The man snorted in amusement at the sight of Nasir poised for a fight, “He did always favor the feisty ones.” 

Nasir tensed, narrowing his eyes at the stranger before moving to strike. He toppled to the ground as the place where man stood was suddenly vacant. He scrambled up looking wildly around and gasped when he saw the man had somehow moved across the tent and was now sitting next to Agron. The stranger stared down at Agron with a sorrowful expression before reaching to tenderly cup his cheek. 

“Do not touch him!” Nasir screamed, charging at him again with dagger raised. He felt a strange icy breeze blow over him as he charged. Nasir stumbled to a halt as he suddenly felt imbalanced and stared uncomprehendingly as knife was somehow no longer in his grip. The man glared at him from where he sat on the bed, holding his dagger in his hand before bending the metal in half and tossing it carelessly over his shoulder. 

Nasir stared, blinking his eyes fiercely. _I have finally gone mad_ , he thought as he stood, watching as the man gently took hold of Agron’s hands and brought them up to his lips to kiss them, just as Nasir had but a moment ago. The sight of this man so intimately touching Agron brought forth a such a wave of rage through Nasir he was sure he might faint. 

“Get away from him,” he cried out viciously as he reached forward, not having any real idea what he planned to do. He just knew he had to get Agron away, had to protect him, but he found himself unable to move. He panicked as he fought to move forward but it was as if he was caught in dream, his feet weighed down by unseeable force.

_Calm yourself_ , a soft female voice floated in Nasir’s head. _We mean no harm upon him. We wish to save him_. A tall woman, with the same black eyes and long, dark, wild hair appeared before him. The resemblance between the two strangers was striking. The woman stared sympathetically down at Nasir, frozen in place, her eyes sad as she took in his distress. 

_Pluto and Proserpina have come to steal Agron from me_ , Nasir thought, it was as if worst nightmare realized as he struggled to move and get to Agron. Nasir suddenly felt a hard invisible pressure on top of him, forcing him to the ground against his will. 

“I am no fucking Roman god,” the man growled as he lowered his hood, revealing dark dreadlocks that pulled his hair away from scowling face. 

“That is enough, my son,” the woman said harshly. “You frighten the boy more than necessary. Agron will not be pleased.” 

“We have no time to coddle him!” the man snapped, his hands fussing impatiently on the blankets covering Agron before pressing his hand to Agron’s chest. “Agron is fucking dying! I can feel his heart slowing. We must do it now.” 

At that Nasir screamed aloud, panic spiking through him as he tried to escape the invisible weight pressing him down. He clawed at the floor trying to get to Agron’s bedside. He wondered in the back of his mind why no one had yet come to his aid, surely they could hear his screams?

“He is strong, he will hold on a moment longer. Cease tormenting the boy at once or I will banish you from tent and perform act myself. He will never forgive you if you continue to hurt the boy so,” the woman snarled viciously, her dark eyes flashing with promise of threat. The man let out a frustrated sigh as he stood up, crossing his arms to frown anxiously down at Agron’s shaking form. 

“This is fucking waste of time,” he muttered. 

The weight that had been pressing Nasir to the ground was suddenly gone. Nasir gasped and scrambled up on the bed to pull Agron’s head and shoulders into his lap. He crouched over him, shielding his face from view. He pressed a kiss to Agron’s rough, cracked lips before gently pressing his fingers to Agron’s neck. Underneath Agron’s heated skin he could feel his pulse slowing, his breath coming out in strained irregular gasps against Nasir’s face. 

“No, no, no, no, no,” Nasir cried out, clutching Agron closer to him. “Help!” he yelled out. The winds were strong but he knew one of the rebels would have to be close enough outside tent to hear. He could not defend himself against these strangers, their powers unknown to him, and he feared as soon as he let go of Agron that he would be lost to him forever. 

“We mean to save him, Nasir,” the women said soothingly. “The others cannot help because they are asleep, as you will be in a moment.” 

_No_ , Nasir protested in his mind, as feeling of sudden drowsiness overtook him. 

“Please do not take him from me,” he pleaded to these strangers. _They have to be gods_ , Nasir thought wildly, _sent to take Agron’s life as their own._

“It will be alright, do not be afraid. We must take Agron from you for a while, but he will return to you when he is ready. He will be reborn and stronger than ever,” she pacified, guiding Nasir back down to the bed to lie next to Agron. 

_No_ , Nasir protested again, using all his strength to curl his hand around Agron’s arm, fighting against urge to fall into slumber. _I cannot--we cannot survive without him, he is only one who knows path out of Rome_ , Nasir tried to reason with woman in his mind. 

“Of course you already know the path, Nasir,” the woman said gently and oh, Nasir suddenly remembered paths of lands unknown. 

_He cannot leave me. We are to be forever by each other’s side_ , he thought desperately as he fought against the weight on his eyelids.

“You will be. Do not fear, Nasir, I have seen it,” the woman said. It was with that that a succession of images flooded his mind. Brief flickers, like memories, not yet come to pass. They were all of him and Agron together and, curiously, all of them appeared to be at night. There were thousands, not in any order, of him and Agron as warriors, as travelers, pirates, traders...it went on and on. Them laughing with the two strangers, the woman kissing his forehead and the man laughing jovially as he embraced Nasir and picked him up off the floor.

It was beyond imagining, the strange clothes they wore and the places they were in. One image was of them getting married wearing strange stiff black and white clothes, another was of them walking hand-in-hand underwater on floor of the ocean. 

There was one image that seemed to stand out in Nasir’s head above all others. It was of just the two of them, embracing in a slow sort of dance. They are in a garden of some sorts with thousands of twinkling lights shining above them, as if they were made from the stars themselves. 

It was the looks on their faces that made Nasir gasp, the utter contentment and love he saw there that seemed to soothe him above all else. It was with that that an ice cold hand caressed down Nasir’s arm and gently pulled his hand away from his grip on Agron, folding it over his chest. 

“We will meet again soon, Nasir,” her voice seemed float at Nasir as if from great distance. And then, “Now, Duro,” he heard the woman order. “Do it now.” 

_Duro?_ Nasir wondered and the last thing he saw was the man bending over Agron, eyes glowing and teeth elongating, before his vision faded to dark and sleep finally claimed him. 

* 

Agron feels as though someone has doused ice over his head, jerking him awake and into full consciousness away from the dark haze of his own mind. He can feel the pangs of hunger aching throughout his body, like thousands of knifes plunging into him all at once. 

“Fuck,” Agron mutters with a shaking breath as he reads the date on his phone. It has been nearly two weeks since he had last fed. 

He can hear the familiar melodious voice of Marlena in his head, _It is basic vampire self-care, mein schatz. If you let yourself go too long without feeding you will be driven to madness. That will kill you faster than the hunger_.

“Fuck,” he mutters again, wiping at his face with a trembling hand. He stands up, holding on to the wall to steady himself as his vision swims, the synthetic light of the room seeming as harsh as the sun itself to his sensitive eyes. 

Making his way out of the room and back across the hall to the bathroom, Agron sighs as he picks up his shirt and pulls it back on with some difficulty, the cotton getting caught against his sweaty skin. He stares down at the sight of the gun with dread, debating on what to do. 

_Bing! Bing!_

Agron starts again at the suddenness of the the noise as he fumbles for his phone. He hadn’t expected Nasir to respond so quickly considering it had to be morning in Cairo by now.

_I am about to pass out, love, but tomorrow at 7:45pm your time? I just checked and sunset is supposed to be around 7:15 in Seattle. That should give you some time to wake up ;) I’m excited! I miss you! <3_

Agron smiles gently down at his phone, his heart fluttering as he imagines Nasir’s quiet raspy voice in his head. It is with some difficulty that he texts back, his large shaking hands battling against his iPhone’s autocorrect.

 _7:30 then? Don’t want to wait and that gives us more time. Miss u too._

Nasir responds almost immediately, _Yay, okay great! It’s a date_ , along with three blushing emojis at the end. Agron huffs out a laugh, charmed. Only Nasir could make emoji’s cute to Agron. 

_It’s a date_ , Agron confirms. _Go to bed baby its gotta be morning in Cairo by now._

Nasir responds with a sleeping emoji, which makes Agron smile again. He traces his thumb over the picture of Nasir he has saved in his phone. Its of Nasir lying back in their bed smiling brightly up at Agron with his long black hair wild against the pillow. 

After a moment, he is knocked out of his Nasir induced daze by another crippling wave of hunger cramps. Agron groans, wincing against the pain as he searches through his phone contacts before opening up a text to Xavier. 

_Ready for a new shipment ASAP. Have product to trade._

Agron grabs the gun from the floor, staring it for a minute as he debates what to do with it before he makes his way back to his study. He surveys the room for something to store it in. Something Nasir would never bother to check. He finally settles on Conrad’s _Heart of Darkness_ , knowing how much Nasir loathes that book. He opens it and with the edge of his thumbnail, slices a rectangular opening through the pages the perfect size for the pistol. Agron places the gun inside the book and shoves it surreptitiously back in the middle of a stack of books. He takes the removed pages and, with movements too fast to see, tears them up until they are eviscerated into dust. 

Taking a deep breath, Agron makes his way down the rickety old steps of their old Victorian home (Agron had argued it seemed like a cliche choice for a home for two vampires, but Nasir had absolutely insisted on it). There was no way Xavier could get him the shipment before his talk with Nasir tomorrow night and he knew he couldn’t talk to Nasir in his current condition. Nasir would absolutely overreact and come immediately home. Agron grabs his beanie, hoodie, and gloves from the coat rack beside their front door. 

He knows Nasir would be disappointed, but he has no other choice, he needs to feed now. Pulling his hood over his head, he makes his way out of the door into the misty Seattle night. 

*

Nasir stared out into the fog that lurked just over forest’s edge. It had settled over their little village nearly four days ago, and yet still lingered. _An ominous warning from the Gods_ , Sibyl had mused, bringing out her candles to utter her prayers. 

That was why Nasir had sat out every night, for the past three nights, on the edge of his little plot of land looking out into forest. Watching. Waiting. He had unshakeable feeling once again that something, someone perhaps, was lingering out there, just beyond his line of sight. 

It had been nearly a year and half since they lost Agron on mountain pass as they made their escape from Rome. A year and half since Nasir had awoken to Agron’s body gone from his side. The others had claimed they buried Agron’s body the previous day and that he had been driven into madness from grief, yet when he demanded to see where they had laid Agron to rest, no one was able to recall where it was. 

It had been nearly a year and half since he awoke to this nightmare, to fall of the rebellion and Agron lost to him, with sudden inexplicable knowledge of German terrain and fluency in Germanic tongue. Agron, Lugo, and the others had all made attempt to teach him during the war, yet he could never seem to wrap his mouth around the harshness of the sound. 

Laeta and the others had reasoned that Agron must have taught him more than he was aware. Nasir dared not confess the whole truth to them, of his memories of the two mysterious figures coming into his tent that night and stealing Agron away from him. He had made mistake of confiding in Sibyl, who he knew was more familiar with the actions of the Gods. 

“Agron has been chosen by the Gods, Nasir,” Sibyl had urged with her light, timorous voice. She had been inescapable after that, following Nasir around as though his interactions with the Gods made him someone to be revered. Nasir had snapped at her some days later, unable to deal with her constant attention, the misery he suffered from the loss of Agron making all else seem like an afterthought. Thankfully, she had never made mention of it again, besides a few pointed looks, and he never dared to confide in anyone else. 

It was why he chose to have his plot of land furthest from village they had settled in, away from prying eyes and well-meaning intentions. Laeta had asked him to share plot with her, Sibyl, and Belesa. 

“Those of us that have lost, we must stick together, to look after one another,” she had offered kindly yet he refused, biting back vicious response. What relationship she had had with Spartacus paled in comparison to the love he and Agron shared. 

As Nasir stared out into fog, he felt familiar sense of frustration overtaking him. No one seemed to understand. He would never heal from this, Agron was it for him. There would never be anyone else. Belesa’s playful suggestion that he should take up with a local villageman, had lead to him not speaking to her for nearly a week. _He is just your type, is he not?_ She had teased referring to the man’s tall stature and charming smile. 

Nasir ground his spear into wet dirt as he found himself once again embittered by sour memories. Even if he somehow healed enough to consider taking another man to bed, they would never compare to Agron in his eyes. It had been under Agron’s guiding hands and gentle smile that Nasir even learned what it meant to truly love. 

He sighed, pulling familiar woolen blue cloak tighter around himself, shielding him from the biting cold of the wind. Although he was barely over twenty and two years of age, he felt as if there was a constant weariness to him that had settled deep within his bones. 

He thought inexplicably of the image of him and Agron dancing under those twinkling lights. It was something he found himself thinking of often as of late. It was the only thing that seemed to give him comfort in his never ending grief. 

He knew in the logical part of his mind that the others were perhaps right, perhaps he did imagine the entire confrontation in his tent. But yet he could not stop himself from believing Agron was not yet lost to him. And as long as he had that feeling in his heart, he would wait for him, wait for Agron to return to him again. 

Nasir settled back against the edge of the tree, _just a moment longer_ , he thought, before he would go inside to the warmth of his little house. His eyes drooped just slightly as he stared out into the distance. The feeling was still there, that there was something out there in the fog, just out of his reach. 

It was then a dark figure seemed to materialize before his very eyes, emerging from the mist and walking toward him. Shocked, Nasir gasped and stood up as the figure drew closer. He felt himself drop his spear to the ground as a feeling of warmth and safety seemed to envelope him. A feeling intimately known to him, something he never thought he would feel again. It was then that he knew. 

*

A soft feeling of fondness overtakes Agron as he stares down at old black and white photo of him and Nasir. It was them, back in the 1930’s, outside that old jazz club in Harlem that they had adored. _That had been a fun time_ , Agron mused. He had found their old record player in the attic earlier that night, dusting it off and setting out some old albums for them to listen to when Nasir got home. Going through all their old belongings had only intensified his deep longing to have Nasir by his side. 

It had been just over nine months since Nasir had left to accept a position as a Collections Archivist in Egypt, helping to repair old manuscripts recovered from the Library of Alexandria. It was the longest they had ever been apart since being reunited after Agron was turned (aside from that time Agron and Duro had gotten kidnapped by mermaids a few hundred years ago, but he did not like to think about that). 

Normally Agron would have gone with him, but he hated having to battle against the strong African sun and instead chose to stick to the misty gloom of their home in Seattle. He had told Nasir he wanted to focus on his research, that he’d been making real progress in his study of the molecular biology of plants in artificial sunlight. And that was true, he had been, he thought, as he tried to rationalize with himself. 

He had made huge strides in his work and had used his time alone to focus. At least at first. Duro had been with him the first few months, before taking his current beau and joining Marlena and her crew to do a vampire cleanse in Japan. It was common for vampires as old as they were to, every century or so, do what they referred to as a “cleanse”, where they buried themselves at the foot of a volcano took to a meditative sleep for a few months, emerging with a new sense of energy and focus. This was perhaps the only reason why Duro, his sire, had not been able to sense his growing depression and pull him out from his cloud of melancholia. 

It would seem his time alone had only exacerbated his condition. It happened every few hundred years, a dark depression would overtake him, the only thing pulling him out was his love for Nasir and devotion to their family. Marlena had said it was a common side-effect for many vampires that had suffered from traumatic deaths. 

Perhaps he should have gone with Duro after all to do the cleanse, he mused, but he and Nasir had always done them together in the past, wrapping each other up in their arms as they burrowed into the warm earth and slept as one. It didn’t seem right to go without him.

Agron hummed to the tune of one of Nasir’s Mezdeke songs as he dusted off their old art history book collection. With his renewed energy, he had taken the rest of the night to clean the house in preparations of his talk with Nasir tomorrow (he wouldn’t be surprised if Nasir wanted a tour of the house, he adored their home and Agron had joked the first few months of Nasir’s being abroad that he missed the house more than him). He felt significantly better after feeding, his senses sharpened and the world coming into clarity, helping to bring him out of his dark feelings of melancholy. 

Suddenly, Agron tenses, fangs springing out. He can sense someone, a human, approaching the house. He drops the feather duster, and sprints down the winding staircase before halting by their front door mere seconds later. At the familiar sound of the off tune whistling echoing down their long drive way, Agron relaxes, his fangs retracting back into his mouth. It is Xavier. 

Agron paces impatiently in their foyer, waiting for the slow human to amble his way up to their front door. Upon finally hearing Xavier’s approach, he slams the door open standing wide, seeming to take up the whole doorway. 

“I was not expecting you so soon,” Agron booms out at the stringy young man. 

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Xavier cries out, stumbling from where he had just been making his way up their front steps. “You scared the shit out of me, dude,” Xavier laughs weakly staring up at Agron. 

Agron glowers down at him, “What are you doing here so early? I was not expecting you until tomorrow night.” 

“Well, I mean, not gonna lie dude I was kinda worried about you... You missed your last shipment of the good stuff. I thought maybe you had left to go meet up with Nasir but then you texted me earlier and I knew you hadn’t so I thought I’d drop this shit by ASAP...” he trails off, his heart accelerating the longer Agron stares at him.

The man is terrified of him, but Agron can sense his sincerity. Xavier had grown an inexplicable fondness for the vampire pair, or at least Nasir, in the years he had worked for them. Agron snorts, motioning Xavier inside. 

Agron wonders if he should feel bad about the two young men he had killed and tossed into the Pacific Ocean just hours ago. He thinks of how he found them, dragging a beaten and unconscious woman from out of their car, intending to leave her in a dumpster, their thoughts a disgusting mess of misogynistic hate, and decides that he really doesn’t feel that bad afterall. 

Xavier pauses before coming in, “Am I good to come in?” he asks, his heart pounding at the thought of entering the home of a hungry vampire. 

“Yes, I’m fine. I had an extra bit stashed away,” Agron lies. 

“Cool, cool,” Xavier mutters not entirely convinced as he struggles to pull what looks like an insulated Whole Foods grocery bag on wheels up Agron’s front steps. Agron huffs impatiently and darts down to grab the bag and deposit it in his kitchen. He pulls the large containers of blood out and places them in his refrigerator before he rushes down the steps of the basement to collect Xavier’s payment. 

Xavier dawdles in their foyer, admiring an old Chinese ceramic vase Nasir had had personally made for them from their time on the Silk Road. The human jumps, nearly knocking over the vase, as Agron appears abruptly in front of him with the grocery bag filled with several pounds of freshly grown marijuana. 

“That should be sufficient,” Agron says as he watches Xavier bend down to fake examine the contents, too unnerved by Agron to properly look. 

“Looks great as always, Mr. Agron. You always grow the best stuff,” he chimes. He had mistakenly assumed Agron was his last name when they first met and Agron had never cared enough to correct the man. Nasir had found it endlessly amusing to be referred to as Mr. Nasir Agron. 

“If you don’t mind,” Agron said motioning to the door. “I am preparing for a big date tomorrow night and it’s almost dawn. Thank you for your prompt service.” 

Xavier laughs nervously as he inches backward out the door, unwilling to have his back turned to Agron, dragging his grocery cart with him, “Big date? Listen, dude, I know its none of my business but Nasir’s a pretty cool guy. Like if I was gay, I’d be stoked as fuck to be married to him--”

Agron rolls his eyes, “It _is_ with Nasir, you blithering fucking idiot.” It speaks to how highly Xavier thinks of Nasir, if he is willing to defend his honor to someone who has actually made him wet himself before. Perhaps if he was in a better mood, Agron would charmed by Xavier’s daft loyalty but alas, not today. 

“Oh, so he’s coming back?” Xavier asks curiously as Agron slams and locks the door in his face. 

Taking a deep breath, Agron can feel the coming of dawn approaching. He sets his alarm on his watch to wake up at exactly 7:20 pm before moving to close all his shutters and blackout curtains. He feels more excited than he has in ages, in a few mere hours, he’ll see Nasir’s smiling face once again. 

*

Nasir started to run toward the figure, stumbling slightly over his too large cloak. He came to a halt, tears flooding his eyes when face of the man comes to light, a sense relief washing over him. Agron stood in the darkness, soft smile upon his face. He looked just as Nasir remembered, tall and beautiful, if perhaps paler. He moved to meet Nasir where he stands frozen. 

“Oh Nasir,” he whispered, his green eyes seemed to glow as he took in Nasir’s tears. His hands came to gently clasp either side of Nasir’s face and tilting it up to meet his gaze. Agron’s hands were freezing but they were still there: whole, solid, alive.

Agron leaned down to press a tender kiss to Nasir’s forehead. At that, Nasir gasped, unable to do anything but clutch desperately at his lost love, returned to him once again. Agron responded immediately, wrapping him tightly in his arms, making light soothing noises as he stroked Nasir’s hair. 

“I am here, I am here,” he breathed into Nasir’s hair. “Apologies for having been gone so long from your side. I have wanted nothing more than to return to your arms all this time.” 

Nasir pulled back slightly from Agron’s embrace, staring up at him, his eyes wide and blazing with fire as he reached his hand up to cup Agron’s cheek, “I knew you would return to me,” as he pulled Agron’s lips down to his own. 

Agron’s lips were cold and his mouth tasted sweeter than Nasir remembered but he could not bring himself to question or care, all he cared about was that Agron was back in his arms once again. 

Agron growled, deepening the kiss, strong arms wrapping around Nasir once more and lifting him up off the ground. Nasir made an urgent noise, wrapping his legs around Agron’s waist in response. Time seemed to blur to Nasir, all he could focus on was the feeling of Agron’s lips on his own, the feeling of his tongue pressing into his mouth, the feeling of his body against him. 

Nasir had no idea how they got inside his house, but suddenly, Agron was dropping him on his bed and pulling at Nasir’s clothes. With a loud rip, Nasir’s pants tore apart in Agron’s hands, little sections of cloth flying across the room in its wake. 

Agron stared at the fabric, looking stunned, “Apologies, I did not mean--” he grimaced sheepishly, releasing his hold on Nasir. 

Nasir responded with a low groan, his cock twitching at the show of strength. He sat up on his small bed, reaching for Agron, trying to tug him down on top of him, yet Agron remained immovable. 

“Agron--” Nasir protested, reaching up to tangle his hand in soft Agron’s hair, his other hand attempting to slip underneath hem of Agron’s pants. 

Agron pulled back, guiding Nasir’s hand away. “Nasir,” he urged, ignoring Nasir’s hiss of protest, “perhaps we should wait, there is much to discuss, much has happened and I do not wish to hurt you.”

Nasir scoffed, “You would not hurt me.”

“Nasir,” Agron pleaded again, “I am not the man you once knew. I am forever changed…” he trailed off and frowned, unsure of where to begin.

Nasir squirmed out of Agron’s hold and clasped Agron’s face in his hands, urgent look in eyes. “I do not care about what has happened, you are still the man I hold to heart, ” he said before he pressed a hard kiss to Agron’s lips. 

“I want to know everything, all that has happened while you were gone from my side but now, now I need you,” he coaxed, his eyes tremulous as he took in Agron’s flushed face and the way his green eyes seemed to glow in the firelight. 

Agron looked as if he might protest, before he stared down at Nasir’s lips. And had he not missed this mouth? His eyes seemed to glaze over and with a groan he dived down to capture Nasir’s lips in his own once more in fierce kiss. 

He allowed Nasir to urge him back down on top of his body, only pulling away to remove remainder of their clothing, taking care to be gentle. He growled at the sight of Nasir’s bare body, making Nasir gasp and attempt to pull him back down on top of him, unwilling to allow space between them. 

“Do you have oil?” Agron whispered as he resisted Nasir’s tugging and crawled down Nasir’s body, hands tracing up and down Nasir’s sides before coming to gently grip his thighs, parting them, pressing light kisses to the inside of each. 

Nasir bucked into his embrace, his cock throbbing at the sensation of Agron once more between his thighs. _By lantern on table_ , he thought, unable to voice response, instead just nodding over to the right. Agron pressed a kiss to both of Nasir’s hipbones before getting up to retrieve jar, somehow knowing exactly where Nasir meant.

Nasir groaned and bit his lip at the sight of Agron’s naked body, so tall and strong, his thighs thick and stomach lean. He gripped his cock in his hand, unable to stop him himself. He had missed Agron so much. _Is this yet real?_ he wondered as Agron turned back around to face him, his eyes ablaze at sight of Nasir writhing on the bed. 

“Fuck the gods, but you are a fucking sight,” Agron climbed back on top of Nasir, oil clutched in hand as he pressed wet kiss to Nasir’s lips. He pulled away with a smack, his lips glistening, before he pressed his mouth kiss down the side of Nasir’s face, stopping as he reached his ear. 

“I have thought of nothing but you,” he whispered roughly, making Nasir gasp. 

Nasir turned his head to side, baring his neck. Agron groaned loudly at offering, but instead of biting down like Nasir hoped for, he merely inhaled deeply against his skin before pressing soft kiss and moving away to kneel between Nasir’s spread legs. 

Nasir felt as if in a daze while Agron prepared him for their union. He stared up at the ceiling of his little cottage as Agron’s fingers pressed inside him, his lust seeming to overtake him at the thought of having Agron inside him once again. He bit his lip bucking down onto fingers, unable to concentrate on anything else, it was like a dream. Suddenly, Nasir tensed, _What if this is all but vivid dream? A cruel joke of the Gods for them only to laugh at me when I awake alone in my bed?_

“This is no dream, Nasir,” Agron whispered as he pressed a third finger deep into Nasir, rubbing against place inside him that drove Nasir to madness. Nasir just bucked, eyes wide as he stared up at Agron. “I shall never leave your side again,” he soothed, as if reading Nasir’s very thoughts. 

Nasir bit his lip to quell sudden tears in his eyes and reached down to pull Agron back up to him. Agron complied, gently removing his fingers and crawling back up his body. He urged Nasir’s legs around his waist before positioning himself and thrusting inside Nasir, his eyes seeming to glow under the candlelight as he stared deep into Nasir’s eyes. 

Nasir cried out, clawing at Agron’s back. It hurt, but it had been so long since he felt Agron within him that he craved the burn. It was odd, Agron’s cock felt so familiar inside him but yet he felt cool within him, unlike the burning heat Nasir remembered. He gasped as a strange warming sensation seemed to follow stretch of Agron’s cock. Agron pressed his forehead to Nasir’s, eyes staring into his own as he made soft, soothing noises. 

“Apologies, apologies,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to Nasir’s cheek. 

Nasir groaned as the sensation seemed to spread throughout his body, making him tingle and tense, urging his cock to swell back to life. He clutched at Agron’s back, bucking his hips down with a soft cry to encourage Agron to move. Agron complied, thrusting in slow and deep inside Nasir, making Nasir cry out as every push seemed to rub against spot inside him that took him to heights beyond imagining. _Please, please_ , he thought desperately, clawing at Agron’s skin. Agron responded, his thrusts turning wilder, making Nasir tense and clutch harder at him as his cock grazed against Agron’s stomach at each jab. 

In the back of Nasir’s mind, he registered the loud creaking of his bed, getting louder with every thrust, yet he was still taken aback at the loud crack that sounded through the room. Reacting quicker than Nasir thought possible, Agron held onto Nasir, stopping him from sliding down into where the bed had split in two. He pulled Nasir up into his arms, lifting him from the ruined bed and lying them back on the floor before urging Nasir’s legs about his waist again. 

Nasir barely had time to comprehend what had happened before Agron was thrusting back inside him, making him tense up in pleasure once again, the pressure of Agron’s cock and the feeling that Agron was truly back with him once more overwhelming him completely. He buried his face in Agron’s neck, biting into his shoulder to stop wild cries from escaping him. _So close_ , he thought.

“Come on, Nasir,” Agron urged, his voice sounding oddly slurred. He gripped a hand behind Nasir’s head, protecting it from slamming into the floor with each thrust. “Let go for me.” He moved his other to hand to gently wrap around Nasir’s cock, his thumb lightly stroking over the head just like he knew Nasir liked. At this, Nasir was undone, he screamed into Agron’s neck, body tensing as he came all over Agron’s stomach. He fell back, limp in Agron’s embrace as his hands stroked down Agron’s back. 

Agron’s thrusts had turned erratic, spurred on by Nasir’s quivering body, the pleasure too much to resist. 

“Fuck!” Nasir heard Agron shout as he clenched encouragingly around Agron’s cock, willing him to reach highest completion. At that, he felt Agron tense and come inside him, flooding him with cool seed and coating his insides with the sharp tingling sensation. Nasir cried out softly at the feeling, too sensitive, yet unwilling to unwind his legs from around Agron’s waist. His hands stroked down Agron’s back, trying to ignore it before the sensation became too much and with a hiss he pushed at Agron’s chest. 

Agron pulled out, panting slightly, and sat up on his elbows to not put pressure on Nasir. Nasir gasped, eyes meeting Agron’s face, Agron’s eyes were glowing bright green, his teeth extended in long fangs over his lips, and underneath Nasir’s hand, Agron’s heart stood still. 

“Nasir,” Agron ran a gentle finger down the side of Nasir’s shocked face. “I think it is time we discussed what happened to me.”

*

 _Talk with Nasir @ 7:30_ , Agron’s phone reminds him unnecessarily as he rolls over in their enormous bed and opens his laptop. He groans, stretching his long body like a cat, trying to blink the sleep out of his eyes. As soon as his Skype connects he gets an invitation to video chat from “Boo Boo Kitty Fuck”.

“Hi baby!” Nasir beams excitedly from Agron’s computer screen, his raspy voice making Agron’s heart clench in longing. He has his face pressed close to the camera as if that would somehow help them be closer together. Agron smiles at the sight of him, his heart swelling at how lovely he looks. He is ready for bed, with his hair pulled in a lopsided bun and wearing one of Agron’s rugby t-shirts that hangs loose on him, revealing his neck down to the indentation of his collar bone. It makes Agron’s teeth prickle, as he imagines biting down into the soft flesh. 

“Are you alright, hayati, you look tired?” Nasir frowns, his voice immediately going from cheerful to concerned. His voice has a slight lilt of an Arabic accent to it, a result of him being in Egypt for so long. 

“I’m fine,” Agron chuckles, running his finger down the side of Nasir’s face on the screen. “I literally just woke up.”

“But you’re alright though? You haven’t been answering my emails and I got worried,” Nasir presses. 

Agron sighs, either he can try to play this off or come clean. “Sorry about that, I just got caught up in my research, you know how that goes,” he lies.

Nasir hums, unconvinced. “I had a terrible feeling yesterday. I jerked awake in the middle of the morning because I knew something was wrong and I knew I had to text you.”

Agron huffs, rubbing at his face. “Shit, Nasir, sorry about that... That could have been so dangerous for you.” His guilt is back full blast. Of course Nasir could sense his distress, Agron was his sire. Nasir might be far away, but he wasn’t buried several hundred feet in the earth like Duro was. 

“I just,” he pauses, hating to admit any weakness but he knows he cannot hide from Nasir. “I just haven’t really been feeling myself lately. I hadn’t fed in a while and I let it get to me.” 

“Agron,” Nasir tsks lightly, his face falling. “Is it the sickness again?”

Agron sighs again, shrugging slightly, confirming Nasir’s fears. 

“Why didn’t you say? I would have come home,” Nasir urges, visibly upset as he makes as if to reach toward his computer screen. 

“I didn’t want to bother you with it. I thought I had it under control,” Agron avoids looking at the way Nasir’s eyebrows crease down in distress.

“How could you possibly think that would bother me? We’ve been together for over a thousand fucking years yet you still feel like you can’t confide in me when you’re upset? You’re always trying to protect everyone from everything, but still so unwilling to protect yourself, even after all this time,” Nasir hisses out, frustrated, this is a conversation they’ve had hundreds of times before. 

Agron grits his teeth, annoyed at the direction this conversation is going. “Well, I can’t really help it can I?” he hisses out defensively. He hates that he is the only one of them that seems to be affected in this way. Marlena was prone to be hit by bouts of depression as well, but not to the same intensity as Agron. Duro and Nasir had had their moments throughout the years, but never at that level, they had both died with a peaceful conscious and that had carried through into their next life. 

“Not when it gets bad like that,” he continues. “I just--I can’t really control how I feel. It’s like, I know it’s not rational, but I can't stop myself from feeling the way I do.” 

Nasir looks devastated. “I know, hayati, I’m sorry, I should have been better about keeping in contact with you, especially when I knew Duro and Marlena had left,” Agron huffs at this, not liking the implication that he needs to be watched like some sort of child. 

“I should have never stayed here for so long.” Nasir looks away, feeling guilty. Agron can’t really stay annoyed at him though, he knows he’s beating himself up for not being there because, in the end, Agron hadn’t been doing very well, even if he hates to admit it.

“Nasir,” Agron pacifies, “Baby, it’s hardly your fault. I’m two thousand years old, I can look after my-fucking-self. I knew it was getting to me, but I was being fucking stubborn about it. I should have gone with them to do the cleanse, it probably would have helped.”

“You were waiting for me, though,” Nasir sighs. “And it is kind of my fault. Being apart from you too long stresses me out too. I’ve wanted to come back for a while, but I was being an idiot and was waiting for you to ask me,” he finishes softly, he avoids Agron’s eyes and stares down at where he fiddles with the sheets of his hotel bed.

Agron can’t help but laugh self-deprecatingly at that. “Aw, shit babe. See, I didn’t want to bother you… I thought you were enjoying your time away.” This was true, he knew Nasir had been hurt that Agron hadn’t wanted to leave with him and they had left on odd terms. Nasir saying some time apart might be good for them, Agron should have known Nasir was just saying that to get a response out of him. He was well versed in Nasir-language by now, but things had been a bit strained before Nasir left, both too immersed in their work to really take the time to connect like they needed to. 

Sure enough, Nasir scoffs at this, “I always hate being away from you too long, you know that. Still, I should have just said.” Nasir shakes his head, looking frustrated. Nasir had been doing a lot better about being open about his feelings these past few centuries. This was mostly aided by the fact that they could read each others minds and emotions, it was distance between them was always trying because when they parted they would go back to their old habits.

Agron sighs, “Good to know we’re still stubborn idiots with ‘communication problems’,” Agron air-quotes the last part, imitating Marlena’s light voice, “even after all this time. Marlena will kill us,” Agron quirks a gentle smile at Nasir, diverting the conversation, not wanting Nasir to be upset anymore. 

“She will,” Nasir agrees, smiling a little at the thought, imagining the look on her face. 

“I am going to come home though,” Nasir reassures after a pause. “I already booked my flights earlier tonight. It will take me a few days since I can only fly at night and that will be fucking hell but I don’t care, I want to be home. ” Agron watches Nasir recline back in his hotel bed and settling into the blankets. Agron fiercely wishes he could be there with him, to wrap Nasir up in his arms and chase away their fears together.

“They don’t want you to stay for the rest of the term?” Agron questions, yet he cannot help the smile that blooms on his face at the thought of Nasir finally being home. 

“Of course they do but I don’t care. It’s practically cheating having me translate everything anyway. Let the rest of the historians do their damn job,” Nasir huffs. “It’s been fun, but I’m bored and I want to go home. _I miss you_ ,” Nasir says the last part in Latin, something they’ve always done when they want to emphasize the weight of their words. 

“Schatz,” Agron whispers gently. He traces a finger over one of Nasir’s curls on his computer screen. “I miss you too and I want you home,” he admits, knowing Nasir wants him to say it.

Nasir beams at him and he looks so lovely that it makes Agron’s heart clench with longing. “I will be soon. The flights will be hell but so fucking worth it... because I’ve really missed the house,” Nasir teases. 

“I’m sure the house will be glad to hear about that, Nasir,” Agron says rolling his eyes. 

Nasir throws his head back in a laugh, “Don’t worry Agron, I’ve missed your dick as well.”

Agron quirks an eyebrow, “Is that so? Well, I happen to know that my dick is very pleased to hear that, Nasir,” he teases, angling the computer before pulling the blankets down to reveal his naked body. 

Nasir responds with a delighted hiss. 

*

Nasir let out a sharp noise of distress, his hands pressing frantically at where Agron’s heartbeat should have been. “Nasir,” Agron soothed, his teeth retracting. “Nasir, please, you must calm yourself and I will explain all.” 

“What have they done to you?” Nasir cried out, thinking of all the strange occurrences that had just happened. He knew the Gods had taken Agron, as they sometimes did with mortals they found worthy, but this, this was beyond imagining.

“Nasir, calm yourself. I am well.” Agron said firmly, feeling Nasir’s agitated nerves and wildly beating heart. “I was not taken by the Gods,” Agron attempted to explain. 

“Then who? Who has done this to you? Were they demons? Some of the villagers here, they talk about the monsters that live out in the forest…” Nasir trailed off, during the course of his panicked speech Agron had somehow wrapped them both in the blankets of his destroyed bed and had pulled Nasir to lie back against his chest. 

“That is closer to truth than fucking Jupiter taking interest in me,” Agron chuckled at the thought, but feeling Nasir’s continued anxiety, he ran soothing hands down Nasir’s back. 

“The Gods are not the only ones with abilities. There is whole other realm of others that exist in this world that we are not privy to as mortals. I was taken by people such as this. They call them, us, Nightwalkers.”

Agron paused, taking in Nasir’s reaction. Nasir merely frowned up at him, breathing deep to try and quell his heart and wait to hear Agron’s explanation. He pressed his hand back to where Agron’s heart stood silent.

Agron sighed, “Nightwalkers are turned at the moment of death. They can smell it on you, when it is your time. Yet upon being turned you live forever more, immortal, without fear of death,” Agron explained as he grasped Nasir’s hand that was moving worriedly over his silent heart and brought it to his mouth to press kiss to it. At the word “immortal” Nasir had ceased his anxious movements and stared up at Agron, eyes wide with wonder.

“They carry enormous power. The ability to move faster than blink of eye, to see further than any mortal man. The ability to read into thoughts and influence reaction in mortals. It is necessary survival skill, as they survive on blood of mortals.”

Nasir thought of how Agron had been been able to see into his mind and anticipate Nasir’s every need. Nasir ran his finger over Agron’s lips, “Your teeth…” he thought back to Agron’s canines elongated out over his lips. “You drink blood?”

“Yes,” Agron stated simply. “It is the only sustenance we require.”

Nasir stared at Agron’s lips, studying the way his upper lip sloped down like archer’s bow. He felt like he should be repulsed yet after everything he had seen in the war-- he thought for a moment of the bloodied corpses hanging from the ceiling in Sinuessa--it did not phase him. After a moment, he asked curiously, “Do you want to drink my blood now?”

Agron groaned at that, “You smell better than ambrosia of the fucking Gods to me. That is why I had to wait so long to reveal myself to you. I had to be certain I could control myself and would not cause you harm.”

Nasir bit his lip, inexplicably heated at the thought of Agron sucking the blood from his neck. Agron growled, “Do not fucking tempt me, Nasir, I am yet too new to drink without killing the person.” 

Nasir bites playfully at Agron’s hard chest before pressing conservation, “Who were those people that took you? If they were not gods...They knew you. I thought- I thought I heard Duro’s name.”

“It _was_ Duro,” Agron smiled at the thought. “He was turned just like I was, his body dragged from the ruins of Batiatus’ ludus and given new life. During the war, he was learning to control his powers much like I was this past year that I have been parted from you. He and Marlena came to look for me when they felt my time approaching.”

Nasir winced with familiar stab of pain at thought of Agron’s death. “Marlena? She was that woman? Who is she?”

Agron sighed, tracing gentle nonsensical patterns on Nasir’s bare back, his cool fingers making the hairs on Nasir’s arm stand on edge. “Marlena is my mother.”

Nasir jerked up at this, staring intensely at Agron, his eyes flickering to capture his gaze. Agron had never made mention of his mother before, besides once in passing when he told Nasir that both his parents had perished when he and Duro were but children. 

Agron shifted against the floor, pulling Nasir back down to his chest. His presence was a soothing balm to Agron’s unbeating heart after such long an absence from his arms. 

“She was taken prisoner by invading tribe when I was but a boy. Duro and I thought her dead. Yet she escaped and fled into the woods where she was captured by a Nightwalker coven. They admired her beauty and tenacity so they turned her instead of sucking her dry. She stayed with them for many years. Time… time appears to move more slowly to Nightwalkers, and so by the time she set out on her own to find us, we were grown men being shipped off to fucking Rome as slaves. She was devastated, yet she followed us still. She has unique set of powers. Ability to see flashes of the future. She knew that Duro’s time was near so she waited in shadow until we caused uprising at ludus, where she saved him from death.” 

Nasir smiled tenderly at that, “Your brother returned to you. I know how hard his loss was for you. It is a blessing then, this second life.”

Agron stared down at Nasir, grave expression on face, “Perhaps. Yes, being reunited with Duro was fucking blessing but I do not know if I would call this new life such. There are still many things that I regret. I can never set eyes on daylight again, for the rest of fucking eternity, I must live in darkness.”

Nasir paused before questioning softly, “What happens if you step into sun?” 

“Then I burn to fucking ground. Just like the gladiator arena. Sunlight is one of the only sure ways to kill us.”

Nasir hissed lightly in denial, not wanting to imagine such a terrible fate. Agron was back in his arms again, that is all that mattered, he thought. He knew he would rather live his life forever under the darkness of Diana’s moon than spend another day without Agron. 

Agron made cooing noise, acknowledging he heard Nasir’s thoughts. He pulled Nasir closer to him, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. Nasir burrowed into to his love, pressing light kiss to his cool chest in response. 

Weariness from the day was finally catching up with Nasir and his body ached from their passionate reunion, he felt his eyes droop against his will. Nasir clutched fiercely at Agron not wanting to close his eyes lest he wake to find this all cruel dream and wake up to nightmare of Agron gone from his side once again, just like before. 

“Sleep, Nasir, it has been much to take in,” Agron soothed, his hands coming to gently comb through Nasir’s hair. “I will not leave you, I swear it. I will wake you before I must leave. I will not be far. I can bury myself in earth outside your house if you would like.”

Nasir cannot help but chuckle sleepily at that. The nature of Agron’s return suddenly forgotten as he imagined Argon burrowing himself into earth like a mole.

Agron snorted, “It is better than hiding under fucking blankets!”

Nasir hummed before allowing himself to be lulled to sleep by Agron’s gentle strokes through his hair, content that when he awoke Agron would still be by his side. 

*

Agron drums his fingers impatiently against the steering wheel of his truck as he waits in the airport driveway for Nasir to make his way out of baggage claim. It’s been nearly an hour since Nasir texted him saying he has landed. He had considered bringing Nasir’s little black Camaro to pick him up but if he knew anything about Nasir, he will have brought back half of Egypt in his luggage, so the truck it was. 

It is nearly midnight yet there was still a small crowd of cars waiting to pick up people from Nasir’s flight. It’s making him antsy, it’s been awhile since he had been out casually in public, not including his little hunting excursion from the other day. He checks his phone for what was probably the 48th time, checking for any update from Nasir. Nothing. 

He huffs, fiddling with the XM radio. He aimlessly changes stations for a while before deciding to switch over to a CD, which instantly makes loud music vibrate through the truck, “MY MILKSHAKE BRINGS ALL THE BOYS TO YARD. AND THEY’RE LIKE IT’S BETTER THAN YOURS--”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Agron shouts as he scrambles to turn off the music. “Fucking hell, Nasir,” judging his husband’s music choices as he settles for sitting in silence instead. Suddenly, his phone vibrates.

_Sorry babe they lost one of my bags. On the way out now!!!!!_

Agron smiles, heart skipping a beat as he hurries out of the truck to anticipate Nasir’s arrival. He flounders for a moment before deciding to lean back casually against the truck, crossing his arms to show off the most optimal view of his biceps. He’s wearing a sleeveless green tank, not giving a fuck if it looks odd that he’s out without a coat. 

His smile is blinding as he sees Nasir exiting the building, fake struggling to hold three bags as he props the door open for an airport attendant who is straining to push a cart with three huge bags and two enormous looking trunks. 

Agron chuckles, beaming as Nasir spots him, his face lighting up in delight as he drops his bags haphazardly and runs to him. Agron reaches out his arms to catch Nasir as he all but collides into him. They meet for an eager kiss, mouths not lining up properly. They both laugh breathlessly as Agron reaches down to pick Nasir up off the floor and swings him lightly around. When Agron sets him down, they both take a moment to drink in the sight of each other once again. As Agron takes in Nasir’s familiar scent he feels his muscles relax that he didn’t even realize were tense. 

Agron moves to clasp Nasir’s face in his hands while Nasir settles his gloved hands on Agron’s shoulders, rubbing at them lightly as they take each other in. Nasir is dressed in a giant black leather jacket, which was probably Agron’s at one point judging by how large it is, but Nasir had bedazzled it with metal studs, claiming it as his own. His jacket is open to reveal a drapey purple floral shirt that would look absurd on anyone else but Nasir, Agron muses.

As always, Nasir is adorned with several layers of necklaces and bracelets, making him clink lightly as he moves, the familiar noise making Agron’s head tingle pleasantly in recognition. Nasir’s hair is a new style, tied back in a tight braid on the left side with the other side falling open and loose. Nasir beams up at him and he is the most beautiful thing Agron has ever seen. 

The moment is interrupted by a harried, “Excuse me, sir,” from the attendant who is struggling to maneuver the cart around where Nasir had carelessly dropped one of his bags. Agron detects a slight Arabic accent in the man’s voice. 

Nasir rushes to assist, apologizing profusely in Arabic as he picks up the offending bag. He slips a fifty into the man’s hand whose annoyed expression suddenly lights up. 

“You do not need help loading your truck?” the man responds, watching in amazement as Agron easily lifts all three of the bags off the cart and tosses them in the bed of the truck, making the truck bounce at the weight. 

“No, no, we should be fine,” Nasir says amiably, fake struggling to lift his bags in the truck. “My husband is very strong,” he teases, shrugging exaggeratedly as Agron next lifts the two trunks in his arms and all but throws them into the bed of truck, tying them down quickly with a bungee cord, not even bothering to hide his strength, too impatient to get Nasir home to pretend to have the weakness of a mortal. 

“I can see that,” the man mutters, shaking his head in utter disbelief. Nasir thanks the man, using his powers to make the man forget what he saw, convincing him that he helped them unload after all. The man leaves, rubbing at his shoulders as if he had lifted a great weight. 

“Agron,” Nasir scolds lightly as Agron comes to wrap his arms around him from behind. “Anyone could have seen,” he melts back into Agron’s embrace nevertheless. 

“Don’t care,” Agron growls into Nasir’s ear, nipping lightly at it. 

“Get me out of here, oh my god, I’m starving,” Groaning, Nasir complains as he presses back into Agron’s arms before breaking away and climbing into the passenger seat of Agron’s truck, impatiently peeling off his gloves and throwing them to the foot well. Agron darts around the side, climbing in, ignoring Nasir’s grumbling about his vampiric speed and the possibility of others seeing. 

He presents Nasir with a red coffee thermos as they settle, “Should still be at least a little warm.” Agron smiles at him, pressing a quick kiss to Nasir’s cheek, as Nasir eagerly accepts it, immediately chugging it down. 

“Mmmm, B negative, my favorite. You are so good to me, babe.” Nasir mutters, breaking aways from the thermos momentarily to rub his hand on Agron’s thigh as he starts the car. 

They talk pleasantly during the ride home, both of them so happy to be near the other one once again. Agron nodding along as Nasir chats aimlessly between sips about his research and random events that had happened in Egypt while he was there, rubbing his hand along Agron’s thigh, intentionally driving him insane. 

It starts to rain about 20 minutes in the drive, the tinkling of rain against the window reflecting the growing anticipation Agron feels the closer they get to home, ready to greet his love properly. As they make the turn into the slightly hidden wooded entrance to their driveway, Nasir chugs the remainder of blood in his cup, bouncing impatiently in his seat. 

_I wouldn’t be opposed to car sex, just saying_ , Agron thinks at Nasir. 

Nasir laughs loudly, throwing his head back, his hand coming to rub over where Agron is hard in his jeans. _We are almost home! I don’t want to destroy another car_ , he teases, flicking at Agron’s crotch before jerking away and settling against the side of the truck, as far away from Agron as possible. 

Agron growls loudly at that. _Oh, you’re gonna pay for that later, you little shit_. 

Nasir blinks innocently at him for a moment before his mischievous smirk betrays him. _I’m counting on it_ , Nasir purrs, making Agron growl again, swerving the car slightly. 

He is just going into some detailed thoughts on how exactly he plans to ‘punish’ Nasir for his teasing when Nasir makes a pleased noise as they turn the corner around the edge of the woods, revealing their large Victorian home. Agron grumbles, annoyed as Nasir jumps out of the car and darts into the house before Agron can even get the garage door open. After he parks properly, he leaves Nasir’s things, not bothering to unpack them as he sprints in the house after him. 

He finds Nasir in the living room, his jacket abandoned on the floor, frowning as he stares critically at where he apparently has just rearranged their entire mantlepiece decor. 

“What do you think of the candlesticks? Do you think it makes it look too asymmetrical?” Nasir questions, leaning back into Agron’s embrace, tilting his head to accept Agron’s kisses to his neck. 

“Looks great,” Agron says, not paying attention in the slightest as his fangs extend and he bites suddenly into Nasir’s neck. He grabs Nasir’s chin holding it in place as Nasir flails over the sudden attack.

“Ahh!” Nasir cries out, melting in Agron’s arms, making Agron groan pleasantly at the weight in his arms. Nasir gasps at the sensation of Agron sucking at his neck. Their bonded connection thrums, minds syncing up with renewed strength at the exchange of blood. 

An explosion of images and feelings burst in Agron’s mind as his mind links with Nasir’s. He feels everything as Nasir’s memories wash over him. Nasir’s excitement at first starting a new project, his bond with his co-workers, his fascination with Egyptian life, and eventually the longing and sadness at being parted from him after so long, and his fear when Agron didn’t return his messages...

One image sticks out in Agron’s mind, of Nasir in his hotel bed. He’s staring at the window, which is sealed shut with the barest hints of light coming out of it, not enough to hurt Nasir, but enough to know that it is morning. He can feel Nasir’s curiosity… How much he wants to open the window and see the sun one more time. Even if just for a moment…

Agron growls fiercely, gripping Nasir closer to him, fear and pain spiking through him at what that means. Nasir having doubts. This has never happened before, not in all the years they’ve lived. It’s always him been him as the one with doubts. Nasir has never once regretted his choice to be turned, always seen his decision as rare gift to have chosen his own fate. He’s always embraced his new life with open arms, content in the knowledge he and Agron will be together.

 _Don’t be upset, love_ , Nasir thinks in Latin. _We were just apart for too long…_ The image of Agron in the bathtub holding his pistol with shaking hands and bloodshot eyes suddenly invades Agron’s mind. He whimpers against Nasir’s neck, pausing to lick lightly at Nasir’s puncture wounds, his knees buckle as he feels Nasir’s raw pain first hand, like a burn straight in his heart. 

_Apologies_ , he thinks desperately back at Nasir, he presses his forehead to Nasir’s shoulder as his hands run soothingly down Nasir’s familiar small torso. _Apologies, you were right. We should have never been apart for that long. We’re better together._

 _Better together_ , Nasir agrees, hands coming up to grip Agron’s arms around him. He tilts his neck back, offering it up to Agron once more. _Please, I want you to_ , he thinks. Agron groans, biting into Nasir’s neck again with renewed passion, the energy of their mutual desire coursing back into his veins. 

He can feel Nasir’s arousal, the feeling thrumming through him as Nasir scratches desperately at Agron’s arms that lock him in place. Agron feels Nasir’s reaction, how the sensation of him sucking the blood from Nasir’s neck makes his whole body tingle in pleasure, the intensity of their bond spreading a warming feeling throughout his body and flooding his veins. 

“Aww, baby,” Agron murmurs into his neck after a moment, releasing him and licking Nasir’s puncture wounds shut. He could feel Nasir getting light-headed. “You’re still so hungry,” he presses a light kiss Nasir’s neck before breaking away and leading Nasir into the kitchen. 

“I can wait,” Nasir tries to argue as Agron shushes him and guides him to sit at the kitchen table, he’s still shaky from Agron drinking his blood. The shared intensity of their feelings making them both feel open and raw, like someone had scrapped out their thoughts and laid them bare in the open for all to see. It was always like this, when they are reunited after parting for a long period of time. It was something they only trusted with each other to do, Agron not even opening his mind all the way to Duro. 

Agron heats up more B negative on the stovetop, as he knows Nasir cannot stand microwaved blood, he leans against the counter to drink in the sight of Nasir back in their home. With their bond strengthened once again, he feels better than he has in months. Not just physically but mentally, now that they are back together again. 

Agron’s heart swells as he watches Nasir stare placidly out of the window watching the rain, still a little dazed. At the feeling of Agron’s eyes on him, he turns his head to meet his gaze and smiles sweetly up at him, radiating love and affection to Agron, who soaks it up. 

Nasir reaches out a hand, but Agron is already moving to meet him. He stands between Nasir’s legs, one hand going to curl in Nasir’s hair and the other going to rub at his shoulders. Nasir rubs his face into Agron’s stomach, groaning in annoyance at his hunger pangs.

“I want to fuck,” Nasir complains, his hands reaching around Agron to grab at his ass and pull him closer. Agron squirms, laughing, before groaning as Nasir sends detailed pornographic thoughts into his head. 

“We have all night, Nasir. And every night after that. You need to rest and recharge now,” Agron tugs firmly at Nasir’s hair, pulling him away from where he is trying to nibble a hole in the crotch of Agron’s jeans, sniffing loudly in a way that makes Agron’s cock jump to life, despite what he says.

“I know, I know, I just really missed you,” Nasir stares up at Agron, earnest look on his face, their mutual feelings of longing making both of them physically ache.

Agron smiles down at Nasir as he grabs his chin, tilting it up as he strokes his thumb against Nasir’s cheek and softly responds, “I know, I missed you too. So much.” They both smiled, contentment radiating between them.

*

Nasir tried to quell his annoyance. It had been over a week since Agron had returned to him, yet Agron had made no mention of leaving or making Nasir like him. Agron had spent every day “sleeping” as he called it, in the ground by the blackberry bushes outside Nasir’s cottage and would then, at night when he awoke, leave for hours to go hunt, insisting that he had to hunt before spending time with him, to insure Nasir’s safety. 

This left Nasir with a mere few hours of his presence every night. And he hated it. Nasir had even adjusted his sleep in order to spend more time with him, but it still did not seem like enough. He found himself going to sit on top of where Agron slept during the day, gently rubbing his hands in the dirt, wanting to be close to him. 

“How long do we stay here?” Nasir finally snapped, wrapping his cloak tighter around himself as he stared up to where Agron was fixing a latch on the roof of his small cottage. 

“What do you mean?” Agron called down at him, his head peaked over the the side of the roof. Nasir huffed, in no mood for this game. He knew Agron had to know what he was thinking, even if he did make promise to no longer look into Nasir’s mind unless Nasir said otherwise. 

“When do we go? To meet with Duro and Marlena? ...To have me turned like you?” Nasir stared up at him, small frown upon his face. 

Agron blinked down at him, silent for a pause. Mere seconds later, he stood before Nasir and Nasir had to force himself to hold back a jump at the sudden movement. 

“Nasir,” Agron soothed, reaching to grip Nasir’s shoulders and bending low to meet Nasir’s gaze. “There is no need to rush this. It is big decision and I would not have you make it in haste. For now, let us just enjoy being together once again.”

“I--” Nasir faltered before adjusting his stance and meeting Agron’s gaze. “I do not want to wait. I have waited for far too long. I have been from your side long enough. I would not waste more time.” Nasir stared resolutely up at Agron, yet the slight twitch to his lips and pounding of his heart giving away his nerves. _Do you not want me to be like you?_ Nasir sent this thought to Agron, willing him to hear it. 

“Nasir,” Agron murmured, his mouth pulled down in frown while his hands grasped more firmly at his shoulders. “Nasir I want nothing more than for you to be like me, to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. But it is a selfish desire. You can not take it back once it is done. It is forever. I-- I could not bear it if you regretted decision.” Agron stared down at Nasir, green eyes tremulous. He gently stroked his thumb inside Nasir’s cloak and brushed against the bare skin of Nasir’s neck. 

Nasir stepped closer to him, hand coming up to cup Agron’s cool cheek. “I would never regret being with you, not when I know what it is to live without you.”

“We can still be together, Nasir,” Agron urged softly. “We can still spend the rest of your remaining days together. I will not stray from you, unless you wish it. There is no need for you to make yourself like me as well... It is not an easy life. It is burden I must bear for all of eternity.” 

Nasir broke away from Agron. “You would stay with me without making me like you?”

“If that is what you wish,” Agron murmured, reaching for Nasir again but Nasir stepped back once more, staring incredulously at Agron. 

“And what would happen when I grow old and you remain forever unchanged? Would you stay with me then? And when I die? What would you do then? You say you are forever banished from the underworld. I would never see you again.” Nasir turned sharply away, upset as he stared out at the clouded night sky. The moon was muted and the stars seemed dull like distant shadows of light.

Nasir thought of the vision he had in the tent the night Agron was taken from him. Of the two of them dancing under the bright twinkling lights, as if dancing in the heavens itself. 

“Nasir,” Agron stepped close behind Nasir, reaching a cool hand to grasp Nasir’s own. “I merely meant that I would honor what ever choice you made. To reassure that should you wish to stay human, I would not leave you. I would honor that. I would stay by your side if you chose to live out your life and grow old. And there is no need for haste, I would have you be sure of decision.” 

At this, Nasir spun around. “I am sure of decision now.” Nasir’s eyes gleamed as he stared up at Agron. “There would be no joy for me in growing old if you were not doing so by my side, knowing that when I die I would be forever parted from you. My mind remains unchanged. My place is forever with you.” 

Agron gazed down at him, his eyes blazing. It was silent for a moment beyond the light chirping of crickets in the distance before Agron’s lips quivered. It was all the warning Nasir had before Agron moved to press fierce kiss to his lips. Nasir gasped into the kiss, knees buckling as he wrapped his arms around Agron’s neck for balance. Agron broke away after moment, pressing his forehead to Nasir’s. He smiled softly down at him as Nasir’s hand gripped the back of his neck, thumb rubbing along the smooth skin of his neck. 

“You are my heart. My place is forever with you as well.” Agron pressed sweet kiss to the tip of Nasir’s nose. “We will leave whenever you are prepared.”

“I would leave without delay.” Nasir beamed up at Agron, unable to contain his smile. 

“Then we will make preparations tonight and leave tomorrow,” Agron confirmed. 

And so it was, that that next evening, Nasir sat outside on his horse watching the sunset, all his belongings packed neatly in a cart by his side. His heart contended with conflicting emotions, excited to begin his new life mixed with disbelief that he would never see another sunset ever again.

Agron had made him promise the previous night to enjoy as much of the sun that he yet could. Agron had spent the rest of that night helping him to pack his belongings at unfathomable speed, leaving the day for Nasir to enjoy. He spent his day riding his horse, soaking up the sunshine. The gods had not disappointed, the ever persistent clouds of the early German spring seeming to lift just for Nasir. 

He had gone to visit Laeta, Sibyl, and Belesa that morning. The three of them enjoyed a nice lunch outside in the sunlight, Nasir breaking out his small jar of pine honey that he had been saving. Nasir told them that he was leaving to sell some goods at the merchant market in the next village over, asking them to look after his house and his goats in his absence. He felt sad to leave his friends and his house and his horse and his goats, but it was not enough to make him take pause in his decision. 

Thus, he sat on his horse, enjoying the last orange and pink shades of the setting sun that he would ever see, drinking in the beauty before it set forever over horizon’s edge. He had never paid much note to the beauty of the sun before. It seemed that he had spent all his life with his head looking down at the earth beneath his feet instead of up at the sky. Too focused on his own survival to truly appreciate the beauty of the world around him. 

He was glad for this moment, to take it all in one final time, to appreciate it before it was forever out of his grasp. Although it was bittersweet, Nasir felt a contentment in the finality of the moment. Knowing that whatever happened in the future, it would be by his own choice. 

He took a deep breathe once the final rays of light settled over horizon’s edge, running one hand over his horse’s mane. 

_I would have final parting with your horse now before I come any closer_ , Nasir started as Agron’s voice sounded in his head. He looked wildly around, not seeing sign of Agron anywhere. He climbed off his horse, taking moment to press light kiss to her snout, gently stroking her neck one last time before moving away to stand behind his cart. 

That was wise decision because as soon as Agron approached Nasir’s horse bucked wildly with a scream before taking off sprinting in the other direction. 

Agron snorted, “I tend to have that effect,” he teased before coming to press quick greeting kiss to Nasir’s lips and moving to examine the contents of Nasir’s packed belongings. 

“Where were you hiding? Were you crouched behind my bushes?” Nasir teased. 

Agron made an unimpressed face. “That you will never know, little man.” He lifted one of Nasir’s packed bags. “You need only bring what you can carry, for immediate need. Everything else Duro and I will come back and get for you.”

Nasir nodded, emptying the contents of one of his smaller bags, filling it with change of clothes and large vial of oil, which made Agron smirk. Nasir paused for a moment when he got to his spear before placing it against the cart. 

“You will not need it, but I will bring it back for you if you want to keep it,” Agron nodded before grabbing the spear and lifting all Nasir’s bags in his arms out of the cart and darting off to leave them in Nasir’s house. 

He returned to where Nasir stood with his small bag of belongings in his arms, draped in Agron’s old too large blue cloak. He smiled, gently taking Nasir’s hand in his own. “Are you ready?” 

Nasir didn’t hesitate. “Yes. Yes, I am ready.”

*

Agron feels Nasir hesitate, lurking in front of the door to their bedroom. Agron’s fangs prickle in his mouth in anticipation, waiting for Nasir to make the first move. He refuses to give into Nasir’s little game. After having “dinner”, Nasir had gone to take a bath in order to unwind from the stress of traveling while Agron unloaded his luggage from the car. 

Nasir has spent the entire time sending lewd thoughts to Agron, images of his legs draped over each side of the tub as he fingered himself, trying to get Agron to snap and come ravish him like he wanted, yet Agron was still holding out. He refuses to give in to Nasir’s cheating tactics, feeling playful, he wants to tease Nasir for a bit longer, wants to draw it out.

Agron is sprawled out on their bed, careful to leave his mind blank from Nasir’s probing, pretending to be casually updating the status of his plants in his journal. He is dressed in plaid pajama bottoms and a white tank top, mostly just to annoy Nasir. 

Nasir’s hiss is all the warning Agron has before the door is thrown open, cracking the side of the wall as it slammed into it. Nasir stood there panting with wet hair and dressed only in his coral kimono bathrobe, fangs extended with his eyes glowing bright gold.

“You are such an asshole,” Nasir growls at Agron.

“I don’t know what you mean--” Agron pretends to be offended, but is cut off with a grunt as Nasir tackles him. They fly off the bed and skid across the floor. Agron manages to deftly roll them over before they fly straight through the wall. 

Agron lies placid as Nasir tears at Agron’s pants, the plaid fabric flying off in tatters. Nasir hisses again at the sight of Agron’s revealed cock, hard and red, curving up into his stomach. Agron cannot help surge of pride as he sees Nasir lick his lips, his eyes glazing over at the sight and smell of it as he moves to take it in his mouth. Agron grabs him roughly around the jaw, snapping his mouth shut. 

“No sucking me off with your fangs out, ” he snarls, his own fangs finally springing out. They stare intensely at each other for a moment, before Nasir relents, melting in Agron’s hold. 

“Why are you torturing me?” Nasir’s hands paw at Agron’s tank top. Agron knows exactly what Nasir wants, its what he always wants after they’ve been parted for an extended period of time. He wants Agron to take control and fuck his brains out until Nasir can’t remember his own name, but Agron knows it will be over too soon if he gives into this, and he wants this to last. 

Still, Agron growls, lifting Nasir up and tossing him back on to the bed. Nasir eagerly flings off his robe and, in back of his mind, Agron notes as it lands on their ceiling fan, but he is too busy taking in Nasir’s naked body to care. His mind seems to go blank with lust as he watches Nasir wrap his hand around his own cock, stroking himself as he stares up at Agron, gasping and writhing his legs when he takes in Agron’s expression. 

“Come on,” Nasir urges, his other hand reaching out for Agron. Agron shakes his head, clearing his mind and smiles down at Nasir wickedly. 

“Is this what you want?” He lifts up the bottom of his tank top revealing the sharp lines of his flexed abs. He chuckles victoriously as Nasir hisses and roughly yanks him down on the bed. 

“You’re such a fucking dick,” Nasir growls as he climbs on top of him. Nasir takes a moment to rub at the hard muscle underneath Agron’s shirt before he rips it half, groaning at the sight revealed. He bends to kiss down Agron’s chest, his soft damp hair tickling Agron’s sides he moves lower. 

“Ah, ah, ah. What did I fucking say, Nasir?” Agron pulls at Nasir’s hair once Nasir gets down to his cock. Nasir sends him a defiant look before ducking his head down to sniff crudely at Agron’s ball sack. Agron groans, keeping a firm grip on Nasir’s hair in case he gets any ideas. 

Instead, Nasir turns his head to the right, biting viciously into the skin of Agron’s inner thigh. Agron gasps, digging his fingers into Nasir’s hair. He shouldn’t be surprised, Nasir has always been obsessed with his thighs, but he still is somehow. 

Nasir moans into his skin, sucking at Agron’s wound, his thoughts blasting through Agron’s mind as they link up. Agron can feel the pleasure thrumming through Nasir as he takes in the heady flavor of Agron on his tongue. Agron moans out in response, flexing his thighs, encouraging, reaching down to tug roughly at Nasir’s damp hair, making it tangle in his fingers. Nasir groans in reaction and sucking harder on him before he releases his leg with a wet smack. He licks lightly, sealing Agron’s wound shut before climbing to sit astride Agron’s hips. 

“Gotta do everything myself,” Nasir grumbles as he procures lube from seemingly nowhere. Agron just smirks up at him as he lies limp and stretches his arms over his head in a smug move which just makes Nasir glare down at him harder. 

Nasir doesn’t even bother slicking his hand, just pours the lube directly all over Agron’s cock. Agron hisses at the sensation, clenching his stomach, watching delighted as Nasir stares open mouthed at it as he impatiently slicks him up.

Agron’s thighs tense in anticipation as Nasir quickly moves to position himself over him, sinking down on Agron’s cock with a loud cry. Agron bites back his own shout, throwing an arm over his face as the pleasure overwhelms him, the feeling of being inside Nasir almost enough for him to give in. He bites into his own bicep to stop himself from losing control and breathes deep through his nose, reveling in the pressure of Nasir’s warmth clenching around him once again. 

Nasir bucks harshly on Agron’s cock, too impatient to set any real rhythm, instead just chasing pleasure. He groans loudly as he angles himself so that Agron roughly grazes his prostate at every thrust of his hips. Agron growls into the crook of elbow, his own blood dripping down his arm. He is losing his will to control himself at every grind. 

Sensing this, Nasir viciously claws at Agron’s chest, yanking his nails roughly down his torso, leaving a line of ten bloody red marks in their wake. Agron growls savagely, releasing his arm to stare up at Nasir with a bloodied snarl. Nasir gasps and bends down to lick up the blood on Agron’s chest before making his way up to clash his lips onto Agron’s with a sloppy kiss, their fangs getting hooked in each others mouths. 

Agron grunts, one hand going to lock in Nasir’s hair and hold him in place as he corrects the angle of the kiss. Nasir moans into his mouth as he moves to wrap one hand around his own cock while the other balances himself underneath Agron’s shoulder. He clenches himself tightly, milking around Agron’s cock and the combined sensations finally make Agron snap. 

In one hard, swift motion, he rolls Nasir underneath him, pulling Nasir’s legs under his armpits before setting a brutal pace, pounding into Nasir’s heat. He bends down to swallow Nasir’s scream of delight, biting into Nasir’s lower lip and sucking there. He hears Nasir internal chants sounding through his mind _yes, yes, yes, fuck yes._

They’re both a mess, covered in such a slick mix of sweat and Agron’s blood that Agron has to keep a tight grip in Nasir’s hair in order to keep him from flying off the bed. The metal reinforcement of their bed frame is the only thing keeping the bed from collapsing under the weight of Agron’s thrusts. 

Nasir pants hotly into his mouth, legs straining to lock around the sides of Agron’s torso, sliding against the slick of Agron’s sides. After a moment, he gives up and reaches back to grip Agron’s flexing ass with his hands instead, letting his legs fall open, limp, and twitching to either side of him. 

Agron presses his forehead to Nasir’s, arching his back sharply to align their heads. _This what you want?_ Agron asks in his mind, aiming a rough thrust to Nasir’s prostate.

Nasir groans, his eyes rolling back before nodding vigorously. _Fuck yes, baby, want you so bad,_ he responds. 

Agron snarls at this, his mouth leaving a bloodied trail against Nasir’s cheek. He can feel both of their bodies tensing, he knows Nasir is close. As much as he wants to draw this out, he can’t stop himself from thrusting into Nasir. So instead he just cages Nasir, wrapping both arms tightly around him as he presses him down into the mattress, knowing how Nasir loves the feeling of Agron’s weight on him. Nasir groans as his cock rubs against Agron’s stomach, slick with Nasir’s leaking precome and Agron’s blood. He bites into Agron’s shoulder and his hands claw at his grip on Agron’s ass as his body clenches up under the solid, firm pressure. 

_I love you so fucking much_ , Agron thinks, overcome at the feeling of Nasir being here with him again, his body tensing the closer he gets to orgasm. 

Nasir releases his shoulder with a gasp, “I love you too, Agron. So much.” He pulls Agron’s head back down to press their foreheads together again. _You’re it for me, all I’ve ever wanted_ , Nasir finishes, as his glowing gold eyes gaze fiercely at Agron. 

Agron gasps, seeing the reflection of his own green eyes shining in Nasir’s. He’s beyond responding with words, instead just sending a wave his emotions directly to Nasir. It’s enough, more that enough, Nasir comes instantly with a soft cry as the intensity of feelings clashes over him like lightning.

Agron follows closely behind, holding himself tense on top of Nasir before he collapses into Nasir’s open arms. Nasir runs his hands repetitively down Agron’s back as Agron presses soft, sweet kisses all over Nasir’s chest, his fangs retracting.

At the sound of Nasir’s sniffling, he pulls himself up to press soft kisses all over Nasir’s cheeks, capturing his tears. He presses his forehead to Nasir’s, nuzzling his nose, as he lets Nasir get it out. He rolls over on to his back, pulling Nasir tight against his chest, wanting no space between them. 

Agron startles when Nasir’s warm hand comes to cup his cheek, wiping away his own tears. Nasir smiles sweetly up at him, pressing a soft kiss to his ravaged chest, before nuzzling into him with a sigh. The feeling of contentment washes over them in soft waves as they lay in each others arms.

*

Nasir stumbled over to retch into the bushes as soon as Agron placed him back down on the ground. Agron rushed immediately over to soothe him, rubbing comfortingly at his back and pulling back his hair from sweaty face. 

“Apologies,” Agron grimaced, turning his head away as to not be hit with the full blast of the stench. Agron had estimated it would be about a two week journey at mortal speed to get to the remote cabin that Agron’s family had been living in at the border of the forest, where the lands of Germania and Gallia intersected. 

Nasir had refused to travel that way, insisting that Agron should just carry him and run at Nightwalker speed, getting them there in under an hour instead. Nasir had not anticipated how sickening it would be for him to move at such a speed. 

He groaned, putting his head between his legs, trying to stop his vision from swimming and to also hide gaze from Agron. He was embarrassed that Agron had to witness his moment of weakness. 

Agron made a soothing noise and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “It will pass in a moment,” he murmured, brandishing a canteen of water from out of Nasir’s pack and passed it to him. Nasir grumbled his gratitude before taking small sips. 

“Well, well, well.” 

They both started at the sudden presence of another man, leaning casually against a tree in front of them. It was the same man from the tent, the one that had stole Agron away. It took Nasir a moment to place him, his black hair was no longer pulled back in dreadlocks but fell in loose riotous curls around his face. Duro looking nothing like Nasir had imagined with his dark features, wild hair, and thick muscles. He had always envisioned Duro as looking like a smaller, younger version of Agron. 

“Looks like your little human pet is having a hard time adjusting, brother,” he smirked down at Nasir. Nasir bristled at slight, his mouth pulling back to let out an annoyed hiss, yet before he could properly react, Agron was tackling Duro to the ground with a thunderous clap. It shook the ground and echoed throughout the forest, making several nearby birds take off in fright. 

Nasir watched as they wrestled in blurs, but had to look away after a moment, the fast motions making his nausea come back to surface. He chanced a glance over when he felt the ground stop shaking. Nasir saw that Agron had Duro’s head locked in his arms, his fangs extended and his eyes glowing bright green. 

“Apologize, you fucking shit,” he growled. 

Duro let out a frustrated noise as he attempted to buck out of Agron’s grasp. “This is not fucking fair,” Duro wheezed. “Respect your elders, my child.” This just made Agron press him down harder into the dirt. 

“Fuck, Agron, I was just teasing him,” Duro gasped, trying to bite into Agron’s arm with his fang. Agron released him, but not before slapping him in the face first. 

“Show some fucking respect,” he growled at Duro, who was straightening himself up, huffing with the remainder of his dignity. 

Agron darted back over to assist Nasir in standing up, but Nasir shooed him away with a sour glare at Duro. Agron sighed, shaking his head at the both of them. 

“I was not expecting you back so soon,” Duro grumbled. “I thought you had left us to go live your life with the human.” 

Agron growled again at this, his hand gripping around Nasir’s arm, but before he could respond, “Duro!” the dark haired woman--Marlena, Agron’s mother, Nasir reminded himself-- suddenly appeared in between them. 

“Why don’t you take your brother to go hunt? It is a most important night for him and he needs to ready himself. Nasir and I will remain here and prepare.”

Agron looked to Nasir, caressing his arm. “Will you be alright? We can wait until tomorrow night if you desire.” 

In truth, Nasir did not want Agron to leave, did not want to be parted from him and was wary of being alone in company with these strangers. He knew they were Agron’s family, but he still could not forget the terror he felt last he encountered them. 

“I will be fine. I need to just sit for a moment and I will be well. You should go, I don’t want to wait another night,” Nasir gazed up at Agron, his dark eyes wide and solemn. 

Agron nodded, squeezing his arm. Nasir did not have to have special powers to see that Agron was nervous, he was familiar with every expression on Agron’s face. Nasir smiled gently at him, standing up on his toes to give Agron a quick, reassuring kiss. 

Agron smiled back at him, pressing their foreheads together. _Apologies for Duro, I will knock fucking sense into him. Rest assured you will be safe with Marlena._

Nasir nodded, acknowledging that Agron’s words in his mind were well received. With that Agron broke away from him and turned to Duro. 

“Come on you shit, last one to feed has to clean up Nasir’s first kill,” Agron shouted at Duro before taking off into the forest as a blur, Duro cursed and followed closely behind. 

Nasir stood awkward for a moment before Marlena motioned him inside the large wooden cottage. “Come in, you must be cold.” 

The cottage was bigger than any Nasir had ever seen, built in the traditional Germanic style Nasir was used to but yet expansive like a Roman villa. There were no windows but instead what seemed like hundreds upon hundreds of candles, making the inside feel warm and bright. 

“Apologies for Duro’s behavior,” Marlena huffed shaking her head, motioning Nasir to sit at the table and grabbing his pack from him. “He is terribly jealous of you.”

This gave Nasir pause, he looked at Marlena, perplexed. “Why would he be jealous of me?”

“You must understand Agron and Duro were but children when their father and I were taken from them,” her black eyes shone solemnly at Nasir in the flicker of the candlelight. 

“In many ways, Agron was as if Duro’s parent. They were each others world. Duro gave up his life to protect his brother, but when chance came to be reunited once again, he saw straight into Agron’s mind that he has been usurped in Agron’s heart.” 

Nasir bowed his head at this, he felt for Duro but not enough to chase away the pleasure that flutters within him. To have it confirmed that Agron holds him above all others in his heart, just as Nasir holds Agron.

“It has been difficult for him to come to terms with it since Agron’s turning. To know that nothing will ever be as important to him as his brother and for it not be reciprocated in same way,” at Nasir’s questioning look, she continued. “In many ways, the way you feel when you die shapes the way you feel in this life. And Duro’s last thought was of Agron. And Agron’s… Agron’s last thought was that he did not want to be parted from you.” 

“It was?” Nasir’s voice cracked as he stared back down at his hands, unable able to stop the prickling in eyes. He had never considered this. Agron had been so delirious in his last moments that he had not expected Agron to be thinking of him at all. 

“It was,” Marlena smiled softly at him and Nasir could see Agron in the dimples of her smile. She reached out a hand to take hold of Nasir’s, the sudden cold contact making Nasir jump. 

“Apologies,” Marlena removed her hand, looking chagrined. “I have heard so much about you from my son and I have seen you so entwined in our future that I forget that we have barely made acquaintance. I feel as if I know you already.”

“...How did you do that? How were you able to see the future in such a way? Agron is not able to do that.” It was the question that had been weighing on his mind ever since their first encounter. He thought back to of the image of him and Agron dancing, the image that had helped him get through this past year alone, knowing that in the future he and Agron would be together again and that they would be happy. 

“It is a unique gift. I see glimpses of the future but they are just brief images, like memories not yet come to pass. We each have our own special eccentricity... some more obvious than others.”

“Will you show me again?” Nasir inquired softly, he felt foolish for even asking but he wanted to see them once again before embarking on this new life. To have those images to hold to heart during the process of turning--Agron had cautioned him on how it was a most painful death. 

She smiled that dimpled smile at him and reached for his hands. 

And so it was, that later that night, he closed his eyes and thought of all the flashing images of them together in the centuries to come as he prepared for his own passing. Agron’s arms wrapped tightly around him, taking him on his side, like they had the very first time they lied together. He breathed deep, soothed by the tightness of Agron’s hold on him and the images in his mind.

Marlena and Duro had left them alone in the cabin, waiting far enough away to grant them privacy but close enough to come to aid should Agron require them. 

Nasir gasped, his body tensing as his orgasm approached. “Agron,” he called out as he turned his head to accept one last kiss. 

_Are you ready?_ Agron asked in his mind. At Nasir’s nod, he grinded himself against that spot deep inside of Nasir, making him cry out as he came. _I love you_ , Agron thought before a sharp piercing pain in his neck jerked him out of his bliss. 

Nasir tried to unconsciously buck away, his body fighting to save itself as the venom coursed through his body. _I’ve got you Nasir, you will be alright_ , Agron voice floated in his mind and he tried his best to calm himself and accept this temporary pain. His vision swum around him, the glowing candles in the cabin shining as blurred abstract lights before him. 

_Drink, Nasir_ , Agron’s voice commanded urgently. Nasir opened his mouth against the sudden pressure of Agron’s wrist against it. He sucked on instinct, swallowing around the sharp, sweet taste of Agron’s blood that flowed in his mouth.

He was duly aware of Agron wrapping him tightly in his arms from behind as he stared out at the flickering candlelights growing dimmer with each blink of his eye. _I love you, I love you, I love you, apologies_ , Agron’s voice chanted in his head. 

At that, Nasir took a deep gasping breath, his mind absently flicking through random memories: of his brother’s face, Chadara’s mischievous laughter, the sight of his Dominus’s dead body, Spartacus’s solemn face as he ripped his collar from his neck, Naevia’s blazing look as she took off her enemy's head, himself as he took down Roman’s with his spear, before finally Agron’s gentle grin after their first kiss. 

It was with that that he went limp, his finger’s going lax on Agron’s arms with the one last thought fluttering through his mind, of him and Agron dancing in the stars, before everything faded to darkness. 

*

Agron watches contently as Nasir stares out into the night sky from their back garden. The rain had ceased while they had had sex earlier that night, the sky clearing for a rare view of the stars in the dark Seattle night sky. They still have a few more hours before the sun rises, Agron surmises, and he intends to make the most of their first night back together again. 

He is startled out his tranquil gazing from a loud voice that echoes out of his phone, “Sorry, sir, for the wait, how may I help you this evening?” He’s on the phone with an old vampire resort in Iceland. 

“Hello, I’d like to book a double “Revive Package” cleanse for as soon as you have available,” he responds in fluent Icelandic. He usually lets Nasir take care of this sort of stuff, but Agron figures after Nasir’s travels, he deserves a break from dealing with people. 

“May I have a name for the reservation?”

“Agron, A-G-R-O-N…”

As he talks, Agron prepares a mix of AB positive with an old Bordeaux they had been saving for a special occasion. He watches as Nasir wanders through the garden, hands brushing over the leaves of their magnolia tree with his head tilted up to the dark sky. 

“For the double “Revive”, do you want separate plots next to each other or one large plot together?”

“We’ll be buried together,” Agron confirms.

*

“Perhaps...I should have buried.. with him.”

“No...his right...passage into new life.” 

“...supposed to take this long? He is taking too long. What if something went wrong?” Voices seemed to float from some distance away into Nasir’s ears. 

The darkness was the first thing Nasir noticed, before the overwhelming smell and taste of soil hit him like a sword to chest. He gasped, getting a mouth full of dirt in the process. Panic flooded him as he felt the pressure of dirt all around him and realization came over him, he was buried alive.

“Would you fucking calm self, brother?” Another voice comes into focus, “He has barely been in earth an hour and yet you bleat like a goat in heat.” 

“Shut fucking mouth, Duro--” It was Agron, Nasir realized with a start and he immediately started clawing at earth surrounding him, his only thought that he had to get to Agron.

“Both of you quiet!” Marlena’s voice cried out. “Listen,” she urged. 

The ground above was giving way under his panicked attempts at escape. There was an odd prickle in his mouth before he felt his canines elongating and, with a hiss escaping him, he was suddenly able to claw a wide enough space around him to start moving freely. 

_Nasir? Nasir it is me, I am here_ , Agron’s voice echoed in his head. _You must stay calm_ , he urged, sensing Nasir’s panic. _Remember what I told you? You must dig yourself out. I am here waiting for you. You are safe._

*

Agron hums as he turns on their old record player, smiling down at the selected album. He makes his way outside to join Nasir in the garden, both their drinks in hand as Van Morrison’s guitar twangs through the air. 

“Our song,” Nasir beams at him as he accepts his drink, clinking his glass to Agron’s in cheers and before taking a sip. Agron wraps an arm around Nasir’s shoulders as they stare out at the night sky in silence together, just enjoying each other’s presence and soaking up the lyrics of the song.

 _An' I will stroll the merry way,_  
_An' jump the hedges first._  
_An' I will drink the clear, clean water,_  
_For to quench my thirst._

“Oh!” Agron pulls away suddenly, handing his glass off to Nasir in order to mess with the electrical box on their back porch. “I forgot to turn these on. I installed some lighting in the garden while you were away.” And suddenly the patio area is lit up with thousands of tiny twinkling lights. 

Agron had spent hours meticulously arranging and hanging them, to make this place special for him and Nasir. It had been a huge pain in Agron’s ass but all his effort was worth it though, he decided, as he took in the look of wonderment on Nasir’s face. 

He smiles as Nasir places their glasses down on the still wet patio table and walks out under the center of the lights. His smile falters slightly when he is hit with a sudden surge of emotion from Nasir. Agron clucks, moving to him to rub his hand soothingly down Nasir’s arm. He knows Nasir can sometimes get worked up after they are parted for a period of time but this kind of reaction over something such as garden lights is unusual. 

Nasir shoves playfully at Agron’s chest, hearing Agron’s flummoxed concerns, before staring wide eyed up at Agron. 

“Dance with me.” 

Agron takes in Nasir’s earnest expression, suppressing urge to laugh. They hadn’t danced together in years, not since their fourth wedding. Yet he knows intuitively that this is not something to tease Nasir about. Instead, he moves to pull Nasir close, wrapping his arms around him and resting his head on top of Nasir’s as Nasir settles his own on Agron’s chest. He breathes in Nasir’s sent and stares out into the night, ignoring the wet ground on his bare feet as he smiles up at the stars.

 _An' you shall take me strongly in your arms again._  
_An' I would not remember that I ever felt the pain._  
_We shall walk and talk, in gardens all misty wet,_  
_All misty wet with rain, nah-ah,_  
_An' I will never, never, never grow so old again._

*

Nasir gasped as the first sign of fresh night air broke through the soil. With a hiss he slammed his body forward, propelling himself out of the earth. Before he was even aware of what he is doing, he charged on instinct, tackling Agron to the ground with a thunderous crash. 

Agron laughed, relief flooding him as he wrapped Nasir in his arms. Nasir panted as he stared down at Agron, taking him in. Nasir thought he knew everything about Agron’s face, but yet it was if as veil had been lifted from his eyes and he was truly seeing Agron for the first time. He took in every freckle, the arching slope of his lips, the startling greenness of his eyes...His eyes made Nasir gasp, the green dancing with sparks of color. It was as if the stars glowed out from within the constellations of Agron’s eyes. 

Agron smiled up at him, his eyes crinkling at the sides in a way that utterly delighted Nasir. He brought his hand to cup at Agron’s face, but started as he left a smudge of dirt in his wake. Agron laughed again, wiping hopelessly at Nasir’s dirt encrusted face. 

“Hello there, little man. I’ve been waiting for you.”

*

Agron sighs as he feels the waves of love radiating off of Nasir. He nuzzles his face into Nasir’s sweet smelling hair. His voice carries out as he sings softly into Nasir’s ear.

 _“An' I will raise my hand up into the night cloud's sky._  
_An' count the stars that are shining in your eye._  
_Ahh, just to dig it all an' not to wonder, that's just fine.”_

Nasir clutches at his back, rubbing his smile into Agron’s chest at Agron’s sweet, low voice. Agron smiles lightly, feeling Nasir’s own against his chest, his heart so full as they sway side to side. 

_“An' I'll be satisfied, not to read in between the lines._  
_An' I will walk and talk, in gardens all wet with rain._  
_An' I will never ever, ever, ever grow so old again._  
_Ohhhh, sweet thing.”_

Agron’s small smile blooms into an all out grin when Nasir’s raspy tenor joins his own. 

_“Ohhh, sweet thing…._  
_With your champagne eyes,_  
_And your saint-like smile.”_

*

Agron’s smile is the most beautiful thing Nasir had ever seen Nasir decided. _It is brighter than any fucking sun_ , Nasir thought, happiness thrumming through him to the very core. He laughed, his voice odd sounding around his fangs. He hissed suddenly, a wave of cramps hitting him low in the gut. Agron tutted and helped him to stand. 

“Come now, it is time for your first hunt. Duro and I spotted a pack of Romans crossing the borders of Gaul earlier this night…” Agron reached his hand out to Nasir, his dimpled smile huge on his face. 

Nasir laughed again, taking Agron’s hand. He followed as Agron lead him into the darkness of the forest, unable to stop his own smile, as he began his new life, happy knowing that no matter what happened, he would be side by side with Agron forever.

*

**Author's Note:**

> The song, in case you haven't heard it before (or just want to listen again): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDpKc31KVRc


End file.
